


Rhys

by Julia_Danse



Series: The Knight and the Paladin - A series of Oneshots [34]
Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: Aldersea Day Spa, All sorts of negative emotions, Anger, Cleansing the Commonwealth, F/M, Far Harbor, Fear, Regret, Snapping, Suicide, Vertibird, selfharm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2020-06-04
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:13:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24545215
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Julia_Danse/pseuds/Julia_Danse
Summary: Knight Rhys was chasing after rumors he heard, turned out they were right.Will he have the blood of his C.O. at his hands or will the paladin survive?
Relationships: Knight Rhys & Female Sole Survivor, Paladin Danse/Female Sole Survivor, Scribe Haylen & Female Sole Survivor, Scribe Haylen/Knight Rhys (Fallout)
Series: The Knight and the Paladin - A series of Oneshots [34]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1381480
Comments: 8
Kudos: 3





	Rhys

**Author's Note:**

> This is also one I started weeks ago. I wanted to write something else, but found this is also okay.  
> Contains glimpses of suicide.
> 
> Oh and I really have no clue why Archive fucks up my edits... Can't do a thing against spaced letters and that... :-/
> 
> But I hope you liked it anyway.

The vertibird ride was quiet but both smiled at each other, finally away from that flying _rusk bucket_ (Kathryn’s idea to call the Prydwen) and the tightness it brought with it. The only thing Kathryn missed was the salty air from the ocean underneath the flying airship and the sound of the waves. She sighed deeply at the prospect of seeing Haylen again. She missed the Scribe, she was like a sister to her, and was glad to finally see her again. With Rhys on the other hand... well at least she could order him around now. _That’s gonna be fun._  
It was like a vacation being back at Cambridge Police Station. Danse opted for his power armor and an orange jumpsuit just as always, while Kathryn strode around in her new black officer’s jumpsuit. Rhys’ jaw dropped as Kathryn walked in, proudly presenting her tags to Haylen, which immediately saluted her and then laughed and hugged her friend. He wanted to bark out a snide remark but then Danse walked in and he snapped to attention, saluting his commanding officer.  
  
After settling down for a few hours Rhys really dared to approach Kathryn _and order her_ to do one of his cleansing missions. Well, let’s say that backfired, like... _A LOT_! Although Kathryn was a little shorter than the Knight she towered over him non the less and it seemed like he shrank down under her stare. “Knight Rhys, I think it’s time that you consider that I am _also your commanding officer now_ and that it is _ME_ who’s giving the orders now.”, Kathryn said in a sharp tone. Rhys narrowed his eyes and already prepared a snide counterattack but got interrupted by Danse. “Rhys!”, he just shouted from another room. The knight snapped to attention and Kathryn burst into laughter. “Well, go do your missions by yourself Knight, that’s an order!”, she said unable to suppress the laughter. She needed some water _AND_ some lessons on how to behave as a paladin from Danse. Rhys walked away grumbling and Kathryn finally was able to compose herself again. She sighed a content sigh. _It’s good to be home..._  
  
While Rhys was getting himself ready for the first time in ages Haylen approached Kathryn. “So, tell me, how’s it going while we were away?” Haylen smirked at her, cheeks blushing and she clasped her hands behind her back. “Well, what do you think?”, the scribe asked in return. She rocked on her feet, the glint in her eyes made her radiate with happiness. A big smile erupted on Kathryn’s face and she laughed. “Wow, that took him long enough, didn’t it?”, she said and took Haylen in an embrace. “I’m so happy for you.”  
  
While the girls chatted away Danse took a look at Haylen’s new terminal entries. They still had the occasional ghoul attacks, but nothing too serious that it needed his presence. Then he stumbled on the medical files she kept on the small computer. He thought back to the times when _Gladius_ was new to the Commonwealth, his guts twisting at the memories; he lost good men back then. He furrowed his brows while he read through the entry of Knight Worwick.  
  
 ** _Medical File WR-113K [Deceased]_**  
 ** _Knight Worwick_**  
  
 ** _Suffered multiple GSW to the leg and torso. Was able to extract most of embedded bullet shrapnel. Patient lost approximately 2 quarts of blood. Was able to supplement with emergency blood packs. Torso wounds caused massive internal bleeding. Attempted to implement internal sutures but facility is insufficient for surgery of that magnitude._**  
  
 ** _Due to patient's pain and quality of life, commanding officer ordered me to administer overdose of painkiller for euthanization purposes. Dose administered 49 hours after incident. Subject died peacefully._**  
  
A sigh escaped his lips as he shook his head. It was one of those moments he experienced in his dreams over and over again. He was already closing the files when he noticed Haylen’s private notes. He sifted through the entries and discovered one about the incident.  
  
 ** _Entry A3-A1007_**  
  
 ** _Knight Worwick was shot a few days ago. He was in a lot of pain, but there was only so much I could do to ease his suffering. Danse ordered me to put him down. I know Danse can be so damn cold sometimes, but in this case, I think he's right. It was against everything I've been taught, but Worwick would never have made the trip back home alive. Maybe if I'd done a better job, Worwick wouldn't have been so bad off. I wish Cade was here, he would have fixed everything._**  
  
Danse didn’t know about that, about how Haylen really felt. He thought of going to her and thank her again for the great service she did to him, his squad, and the whole Brotherhood. Although he felt the bile rise in his guts, he was fucking proud of her. She came a long way and was an outstanding Field Scribe.  
  
“You coming with me or not?!”, someone shouted through the police station. It was Knight Rhys and he was shouting at Kathryn. Danse sighed. No matter how good a knight Rhys was, the guy needed to change his attitude against Kathryn. He cringed when he thought about how much of a lecture she would give him if he wouldn’t accept her as his C.O. Poor bastard...  
He could hear Kathryn sigh before she answered with annoyance “Okay, okay, I’m coming with you...” He heard her speak to Haylen and how she muttered “Someone needs to watch your damn ass and that you do your damn job right...” before Haylen burst into laughter. “Don’t push him around too much, will you?”, Haylen then asked with a warmth in her voice Danse never heard before. He guessed that Rhys finally must have put that stick out of his ass and finally admitted his feelings for her. It put a gentle smile on the Paladin’s face. They had each other to depend on.  
  
“Alright, kiddos, play nice while Momma and the troublemaker are out!”, Kathryn called into the police station before she and Rhys left. Rhys was loud enough to here his incoherent grumbles including words like _infuriating grass head_ or _I’m gonna show you how it’s done..._ all present soldiers chuckled to themselves before everything was quiet again. Danse sighed contently and settled down for some more relaxation.  
  
Rhys led Kathryn to the roof where a vertibird was on standby. The lancer saluted when she saw Kathryn and Rhys approach. “Ma’am, Sir. Where can I get you to?” Rhys held out a piece of paper to the woman and she nodded. “Alright, then let’s go!”, she said smiling.  
  
“You gonna tell me where we’re going?”, asked Kathryn as she boarded the vertibird.  
“Mh, naah. You’ll see.”, answered Rhys.  
“Fine. Then you might man the minigun, I’m gonna take a nap until we arrive.”  
“What?”  
“Night.” A yawn and Kathryn was asleep.  
  
The hours ticked by and Kathryn had a peaceful slumber. Rhys on the other hand had a very boring flight to Far Harbor, nothing to shoot in sight and he huffed. The landing process woke her up and she yawned. She looked around with half-lidded eyes, rubbing at them before it dawned on her to where Rhys had brought them. Anger rose inside her while the knight had a devilish smile on his face.  
  
“What the fuck, Rhys?!”, Kathryn hissed through gritted teeth.  
“What?”, he answered. “Afraid of a bit of radiation?”  
“Ah fuck you...”  
  


It was no secret what happened to Kathryn when she was on her mission on the island. And of course, Rhys took his advantage out of it. He didn’t even think that this could backfire at him.  
  
“Care to tell me where we are?”, demanded Kathryn.  
“You tell me. Since you are the one with the Pip Boy.”  
  
That man was infuriating. So Kathryn looked at the map on her Pip Boy. _Aldersea Day Spa_ stood there on her map. A spa?  
  
“You need a beauty day or something?”, she then asked.  
“No, but there are mutants that need to be eliminated.”, Rhys answered already annoyed.  
“Well, with your ugly mug not even a thousand days at a spa would be helpful...”  
“What did you just say?”  
“Oh, nothing.”  
  
With those words Kathryn grabbed her gear and moved on, Rhys following behind with a steaming red head. They landed a few meters away from the spa. One never knew if or how much mutants were around the place and so it was secure to scout out the location for a bit. Kathryn not only had _Protector_ with her but a silenced 10mm she once found, the word _Deliverer_ carved into the side of the grip. She remembered just bits and pieces about how she found the gun a long time ago, no one knew about it, not even Danse. She never told him that when she roamed around all by herself that she found an old military place. A giant underground facility with a big closed door in front of her. Somehow she managed to open the door, a dead man lying inside carrying that gun. Kathryn thought that it would be wasted if she didn’t grab it but stuffed it away where no one would find it. Now she thought it would come in handy.  
  
They made their way around the area in complete silence. At least Rhys knew how to be stealthy in such a situation. He even was so focused on the task that he totally forgot to tease his newest C.O. while they silently stepped inside the spa. The loud stomping of the mutants was not only audible but they felt it as the ground shook underneath their feet. They must’ve been near. Just as Kathryn wanted to signal to Rhys to check out their surroundings a mutant crossed their path. “PUNY HUMANS!”, it shouted through the room as it opened fire. Well so much for stealth... Both Rhys and Kathryn opened fire and the mutant was down in seconds. At least Kathryn took _Deliverer_ and her shots were as quiet as a mouse. Rhys on the other hand not only made noise with his laser rifle but also the air smelled of ozone and burned flesh now. _Typical Brotherhood soldier..._ Kathryn rolled her eyes.  
  
Since the other mutants were alarmed to their presence they made quick work of the green skins and cleared out the whole building. Kathryn even found two bathrobes in very good condition and stuffed them inside her bag. She and Danse would go on a vacation to the Sanctuary Hills Hot Springs after this mission was over. She just heard about the place, and that it took the Minutemen so long to find it. They sure were in much need of staying away from their daily lives. Until then, nothing else she and Rhys found could be proving beneficial to the Brotherhood and Kathryn marked the location as [CLEARED] on her Pip Boy. They walked back outside where they were greeted with gamma guns in their faces.  
  
“Well, see who just showed up on our island again.”, said a balding man. His ragged clothing told Kathryn that he was a Child of Atom, just like the others surrounding them. There was no sight of the lancer and Kathryn thought that she might be dead already until she suddenly saw her cowering behind a bush, gun drawn and aimed at the Children of Atom. Rhys also aimed his rifle at the balding man telling him to “get the fuck out of the way before I kill you!” while Kathryn just stood there, unable to move. All her memories of what she had done flooded her head, making her feel dizzy and she almost staggered. She was sweating and her breath came out in short bursts, her body started to shake and she fell down to her knees crying. She held her head in her hands and shook it and started to mumble inaudible words.  
  
Rhys looked at her, not knowing what to do with the current situation. Suddenly Kathryn looked up, eyes red and face contorted into one of deep sitting pain. She looked around, eyes hazed like she wasn’t herself anymore. And after she started to scream “I’m sorry.” over and over again Rhys finally understood that he made a mistake. She rocked on the spot now, holding her knees in a steel grip while she kept repeating herself over and over again. Even the Children of Atom felt pity for the woman in front of them and lowered their guns. They didn’t move when the knight grabbed his C.O. and carried her to the vertibird and settled her down into a passenger’s seat. He made sure the seat belt around her shoulders and stomach were tight so she couldn’t run away. But all she did was keeping on rocking back and forth and saying “I’m sorry.” When he turned around the bald man aimed his gun back at him.  
  
“Yo, what the fuck is your problem?”, he asked angrily.  
“The woman.”, said the man simply.  
“Why?”  
“Because she destroyed our home, our leader Tektus although he wanted to welcome her as one of our own.”  
  
Rhys laughed at the man. “You really don’t know that she was sent to destroy the Children of Atom?” He couldn’t believe it. Those people were zealots, no question asked. But that they also were _this_ stupid?! Out of the corner of his eye, he saw more guns aimed at him but kept laughing like it didn’t matter. It really didn’t matter, because behind all those freaks stood not only the lancer but two more knights in power armor, laser rifle aimed at the group and _they didn’t realize it_! “Oh goodness.”, Rhys chuckled. “You guys are dumber than I expected.”  
  
Before one of the soldiers was able to shoot a shot rang out from the vertibird. Kathryn came back to her senses, anger now very visible in her face as she jumped down with _Protector_ in her hands. The guy threatening her and Rhys dissolved into a green puddle of plasma. The wind picked up in speed and sent her hair flying around her body. Rhys’ eyes widened, he would experience Kathryn’s wrath live and up close. “They’re mine!”, she hissed before she shoved her rifle into Rhys’ arms and she picked out her _Cutlass_ and got to work. Fury was her fuel, anger made her fast but fear made her perceptive. Rhys had never seen someone fight as she did. And before even a single gamma round was shot all the zealots were dead. Not a single cell was spent, no drop of Brotherhood blood was spilled. And damn did Rhys change his mind about Kathryn now. It took him to see her like the psychopath she was to finally understand that she was a force he needed to be careful around. No wonder she teased him back, she knew that if he would take it too far that she would win against him. He was shaking now, feeling fear for the first time in ages while he looked at the paladin with wide eyes.  
  
“Thanks.”, she just said as she took back her rifle, seated herself back again, and motioned for the lancer to take her place in the cockpit. “I wanna go home, Rhys. Move your damn ass already!” He didn’t even think to answer her but nodded and jogged over. Without a word, he manned the minigun again while Kathryn stared ahead. Even on their flight home she kept staring, was she really herself again, or did she hide behind a facade he wasn’t able to see through? He remembered that Danse was the same after losing half of his team. Staring and cowering behind a facade that he thought no one would break through. He kept pushing and eventually got through with it. If it wasn’t for him, well Rhys and Haylen would be dead too. Rhys knew that. _The burden of a leader_ he thought while he took a glance at Kathryn. The nearer they flew to the police station the more it was obvious how exhausted the paladin was. Just as the ‘bird landed Rhys hopped out, he wanted to get away from her as soon as possible but got called back from the lancer which said she needed his help. Sighing he turned around, the lancer had a panicked face as she crouched down next to Kathryn. “What the fuck?”, Rhys said as he saw the red puddle forming under his now unconscious C.O. He didn’t need to think as his instincts kicked in. He grabbed Kathryn under her legs and arms, carrying her bridal style across the roof, the lancer following him, and then ran ahead to open then the door for him and scream for Haylen.  
  
___  
  
He heard the vertibird landing. He didn’t think that they would come back this fast and already smiled as he thought about what he and Kathryn wanted to do after she had some time to relax for a bit. But when he heard the lancer scream for Haylen he paled. _Unconscious? What the hell happened?!_ He ran into the direction of the roof when Rhys already stood in front of him. Droplets of blood trickled down onto the floor. _Oh fuck..._ Rhys just walked past him to the clinical area of the police station to settle Kathryn in one of the beds. Haylen went to work immediately, prying open Kathryn’s jumpsuit.  
  
“Rhys, get out! Sir, I need your help.”, Haylen demanded.  
“Please take good care of her...” said the knight before he left the room defeated.  
“Sir, we need to strip her down. I can’t find from where she’s bleeding.”  
“Affirmative.”  
  
And when Kathryn laid in just her underwear Haylen finally found where the paladin had cut herself. She sighed before she said “This is going to be much work. Danse, I need you to help me stitch her up again.” He couldn’t believe it. She really was right when she said that the same things would happen again, that she would try to kill herself again. But this time it looked like she could be successful. He took a steadying breath and went to work. He was well educated in stitching up different kinds of wounds, which also included fixing arteries. And he was more than glad now that he was paying attention to the lessons, even practiced more often than the others. The medical scribe back then said if Danse didn’t want to switch to become a field scribe. Back then he said no, and still stood with his decision. But it made him proud that the med scribe was pleased with his skills.  
  
It took two hours to patch Kathryn up, she had several deep cuts on both her arms and legs and needed blood transfusions, stimpaks, and med-x. She was so damn pale, but still alive at the brink of death. Now all they could do was waiting. Waiting for her to decide if she wanted do leave her friends, her family behind, or if she would fight her own good fight and survive. Danse needed a drink now, he thought while washing his bloodied hands. _I want to live!_ She had said a while ago. What happened to her that she lost control over herself that much? He needed to speak with Rhys. And so he did. The knight sat at his bed, head in hands, and shaking. “Rhys. Follow me.”, Danse said, not waiting if the knight would follow him. He knew that Rhys would follow and before he was sitting in his office the knight already closed the door and sat down in front of him. Rhys took a deep breath.  
  
“I didn’t know that would happen.”, he then said.  
“Why, what happened that she tried to kill herself?”, Danse asked.  
“We cleared out that spot of super mutants and when we got out again those Children of Atom freaks stood before us. They aimed their guns at us, one of then said something about ‘look who came back’ and that Kathryn destroyed their home and their leader.” Rhys took another breath.  
“What else?”  
“Suddenly Paladin Kay was shaking, even slumped down onto the ground. First, she just mumbled, but when she looked up she repeated herself over and over again.”  
“What did she say?”  
“’I’m sorry.’”  
  
Danse sighed while he pinched the bridge of his nose. It still didn’t make sense.  
  
“Was there more?”, he asked.  
“Yes. The Children of Atom lowered their guns and I was able to carry her to the vertibird and seated her, even strapped the belts on. But then she shot the guy who was aiming at us, jumped out of the ‘bird, and shoved her rifle into my arms. She had that blade in her hands. Danse... I’ve never seen anything like that before.” Rhys was shaking now.  
“Seen what?”  
“She was fast. Not even a single shot rang out and those Children of Atom were dead. No bloodshed, no fusion cell spent. She just killed them with that blade in her hand. And then she just took her rifle back and said she wanted to go home. She was staring the whole way home. Didn’t say a word, only staring...” In hindsight, it frightened him. He didn’t know what she was thinking. But he knew when the lancer was calling for him.  
“Then the lancer called for me after we landed. Honestly, I wanted to get away from Paladin Kay. But I turned around and saw the puddle under her feet and rushed her inside. And now we’re here.”  
“Why did you ask her to go with you knight?” Oh, Danse got angry...  
“Honestly? I wanted to tease her, see if it was true what they said about her and Far Harbor. It was right. But it was wrong for me to drag her there. I understand that and accept the consequences.”  
“You better do that Rhys! Because if she dies, her blood will stick to your hands. Remember that! YOU would have killed, not she, YOU!”  
  
As he said the words Danse shoved a finger into Rhys’ chest. He stood up so quickly that his chair tipped over and fell down clattering. It took everything in him to suppress the urge to grab the knight by his collar and hurt him. He was breathing heavily but contained his anger with balled fists at the sides of his body. “Now get the hell out of here!”  
  
___  
  
He didn’t think. What the fuck did he think about what he had done? Thought it was funny to rile up his C.O.? Fuck, what if she really died because he took her there? His heart started to race and his breathing became uncontrollable. “Easy, take deep and slow breaths.” His vision blurred but he heard the words through the ringing in his ears. He closed his eyes and focused on his breathing. He felt how his heart slowed down, how his breathing slowed, and how he relaxed in whole. “Thank you Haylen.”, he whispered into the quiet. She sat down next to him on the roof, their feet dangling down at the edge of the rooftop. Normally Haylen would lean into him, but this time it was the other way around. And before both were able to realize what happened Rhys slumped into Haylen and cried. Whatever happened, she never saw him cry before. “Oh Rhys...”, she just whispered while she caressed his shaking body. Somehow, without a single word, Haylen understood. Her grip tightened and she began to sing in a hushed tone while she rocked them both back and forth, gently stroking Rhys’ head.  
  
They stayed like this for hours. Danse was down at Kathryn’s side before Haylen went up to the roof and knew she was in good hands. Rhys was more of her concern now. He was pale, sweating and his whole body shook. “We should head back inside, don’t you think?”, asked Haylen the now quiet knight. He looked up at her, rubbing his eyes with the sleeves of his still bloody jumpsuit and nodded. The scribe helped him to get up and move back inside where she led him into the infirmary. She wanted to check on him if he was injured, at least physical, psychological was out of question after his breakdown. But he had something else in mind when he saw Kathryn lying there, a blood pack strapped to her arm, eyes closed and full of bandages. He couldn’t believe that they all covered where she harmed herself. Other scars were visible and finally understood that she had a mental problem which she covered well. As far as his knowledge went knew no one about her condition. If Elder Maxson knew about it? Maybe he would ask her if she survived. He needed to apologize to her, tell her how sorry he was and that he finally was able to accept her as his commanding officer.  
  
She needed to survive.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading and maybe leaving Kudos.


End file.
